Archive for June, 2015

If you like the performance of the Golf GTI but prefer the styling of a sedan, the newly released 2016 Jetta GLI is worth a look. Head to Chapman VW Tucson for a test drive of this testament to German engineering and experience the combination of practicality, performance, value and style. From the tip of the front, the GLI features a honeycomb grille and fog lights to announce its presence to all comers. Aerodynamic styling continues with the sculpted body panels and ends with dual chrome-tipped exhaust outlets that deliver a satisfying purr.

Infotainment System Connects with World

The new GLI features the MIB 2 navigation and entertainment system that utilizes USB and Bluetooth technology to connect with the Internet and a host of apps. By utilizing a 5-inch touchscreen you can map out trips, select your favorite music or respond to phone calls and texts in a safe, hands-free manner. The GLI comes standard with a sunroof, push-button start, keyless entry, dual zone climate control, power driver seat, parking assistance and a rearview camera. The Fender audio system is an award-winning unit that bathes the driver and passengers in concert-quality sound. The audio system puts out 400 watts of power through eight speakers to deliver crystal clear music and a driving beat.

Safety Technology Reduces Injuries

Volkswagen has outfitted the GLI with safety technology that helps reduce the chance of a collision as well as injuries in the case of an actual wreck. Along with blind spot detection and rear traffic alert, the GLI has an automatic post-collision braking system that automatically applies the brakes when an impact is detected. This helps avoid secondary impacts that can contribute to property damage and personal injury.

Choose Manual or Automatic Transmission

If you enjoy being in full control of your GLI’s performance, choose the standard 6-speed manual transmission. For others, the 6-speed automatic transmission offers seamless shifting as you put the GLI through its paces. The Jetta GLI comes in two trim levels, the SE and the SEL. The more expensive model offers corner tracking headlights and foglights and a multi-function steering wheel that allows you complete control of audio and other features without taking your eyes off the road. V-tex seating provides a comfort while red piping tells the world that this modest looking sedan has a little something extra under the hood. Test drive the GLI and experience all these performance enhancing amenities yourself by taking a trip to Chapman VW Tucson.

As of February of next year, the latest model of the Volkswagen Beetle Dune will be available for sale at Chapman VW Tucson. The new Beetle will be a homage to the off-road focused Baja Bug. In the meantime, VW is contemplating manufacturing a hybrid form of the standard Beetle.

VW took a prototype of the Beetle Dune to Manhattan to display its design, but the prototype included the Jetta Hybrid’s powertrain. The Dune is 2 inches higher off the ground compared to the regular VW Beetle, and this will remain for the production version. Those extra 2 inches are from the raised suspension to accommodate the larger 19-inch wheels.

The change in height isn’t very noticeable when driving until you get into Tucson traffic. Any advantage in better sight lines when battling with trucks and other cars is a bonus.

The Beetle Dune isn’t intended to handle rough off-road terrain the way its predecessor the Baja Bug did. The Baja had major modifications done to it specifically for off-road use. The main difference between the normal Beetle and the Dune is mostly cosmetic. The Dune is designed to give a wider stance and a more rugged feel. This feeling is given with restyled bumpers, lower door edges and wheel arches with black cladding all around.

The Dune could be considered a crossover version of the normal VW Beetle, without the AWD capability.

The distinctive “Arizona” orange color of the concept car will be offered in the production version of the Dune. Under the hood will be different.

The production version will offer a choice of the current Beetle’s 1.8T gas turbocharged engine or a 4-cylinder turbo-diesel. The 1.4-liter turbocharged 4 cylinder and electric motor produces a combined output of 197 hp and 298 lb-ft of torque. More than enough to accelerate pass slow movers on the highway.

With the seamless integration of gas and electric systems, the VW hybrid is one of the most enjoyable hybrid vehicles to drive on the market. The hybrid car feels like a driver’s car with great acceleration and handling. It also delivers an EPA estimated 45 mpg combined city and highway. Other hybrids often interrupt the driving experience because of the chunkier systems.

VW hasn’t confirmed if it will be offering a Beetle hybrid yet, but they are paying close attention to the feedback from the concept version.

Pricing for the Volkswagen Beetle Dune is due out next year has not been confirmed by VW. However, it will probably come in at a price similar to the 2.0T R-Line trim of around $25,450 at a Tucson Volkswagen dealer near you.

Not since the construction of the Tennessee Valley Authority water system in the 1930s has a local project been as widely ballyhooed as the expansion of Volkswagen’s Chattanooga SUV plant. The project will add almost 10,000 jobs and bring an additional $370 million a year to the local economy, according to the University of Tennessee Center of Business and Economic Research. The plant will manufacture a new mid-size VW SUV. Along with 2,400 direct VW employees, additional business created by the facility will be a boon to the local economy.

Construction and Tooling Phase Underway

Construction of the plant expansion is underway and expected to be completed by the end of 2016. During this initial phase, the plant has the potential to being $217 million of new income and 5,400 new jobs to the Chattanooga area. The plant will start producing the new SUV at the end of 2016, making it and the Passat the only VW vehicles built in the Chattanooga area. “The study underscores Volkswagen’s commitment to Tennesee, and we are excited to grow our team and the Chattanooga plant as we gear up for the production of our first-ever seven-passenger SUV for the U.S. Market.”

VW Investing $704 Million

By investing more than $700 million in the Chattanooga expansion, VW is taking advantage of an incentive package recently approved by the state’s legislature. Both VW and the state are optimistic that the financial risk is far outweighed by the gain of providing well-paying jobs that can be passed down through generations of future state workers. “Extensive supplier linkages and good incomes earned by Volkswagen employees account for the significant employment gains and economic multiplier effects in Tennessee,” said William Fox, author of the CBER study. “This includes jobs in many industries across the state, such as grocery stores, restaurants, shopping malls and construction.”

Biggest SUV Offensive in Company History

Along with the Tiguan and Touraq, the new SUV will mark the “biggest SUV offensive in the company’s history,” according to VW AG CEO Martin Winkerhorn. The new SUV will feature a longer wheelbase than the Tiguan to provide a little more interior room and seating. The continued popularity of the Golf in the U.S. has company executives feeling optimistic about their chances to turn around their market share in this country. Stay tuned for more developments and the first delivery of the new SUV to your Volkswagen in Tucson dealer, Chapman Volkswagen, sometime in 2017.

Volkswagen recently announced its gesture-controlled “hands-off” system that brings together haptic response touchscreens with touchless gesture controls. Part of the hands-off system also includes new autonomous parking technology for the new Golf R Touch.

Volkswagen’s aim with the new Golf R was to get rid of physical switches completely by replacing the entire infotainment, climate and environment controls. Instead the company plans to use gesture controls and proximity-aware capacitive systems. When you place your hands near the sunroof, you simply swipe the air to open the glass panel. You can also use a swiping motion to control windows and activate headlights. These are proximity-aware sensors and are only activated, and illuminated when your hand nears the control.

The new Volkswagen Golf R Touch has a complete digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster. The dashboard has a pair of screens on its interface. All of which make up the infotainment stack in the center console. The top screen is a huge 12.8-inch with captive touch screen at high resolution. The driver will use had gesture controls to get around and trigger parts of the instrument cluster interface, by holding their palm down just over the shift knob.

Volkswagen said that the R Touch is simply an experiment in augmentation. They don’t intend for gesture controls to fully replace the proven touch screen technology.

The highly customizable infotainment system gives the driver a selection of color schemes, background pictures, ad wallpapers, and what information they want to display. Volkswagen company designers have organized tons of info without having to use outdated lists options. The crisp 3D graphics fits in perfectly with the futuristic look of the interior.

While the system looks amazing, some users might find it distracting when driving. But with a simple pitching action, the interface is minimized and the distraction is eliminated.

Under the main screen is an 8-inch captive touchscreen with a matte finish. This is where the climate and contextual controls are housed. Volkswagen surprisingly wanted to keep the feel of physical controls, while interacting with the touchscreen. They decided to introduce the built-in haptic feedback. The feature utilizes a tiny vibration is triggered when you slide your finger across the screen, which minimizes inefficiencies you would get with physical controls. Even when you press a virtual button, the screen vibrates for a split second giving the sensation of pressing an actual physical button.

Volkswagen uses haptic feedback on the seat controls. They have hidden vibrating actuators in the sport bucket seats that are in-sync with the audio system. The result is a thumping and buzzing of music, giving a tactical feeling of a huge subwoofer but without taking up actual speaker space.

We can’t wait to hear what Volkswagen rolls out next at Chapman VW Tucson. Come visit our dealership to witness the ultimate in VW vehicle performance and technology.

As part of a family that owns 47 percent of BMW, Stefan Quandt is normally as tight-lipped as other family members about the internal struggles happening at rival Volkswagen. Following the appointment of new CEO Harald Krueger to lead BMW into the next generation, Quandt took the chance to offer a mild dig at VW. “We have set the course for the future and are very happy about a successful generational change at the top of the company,” he said. It was the first time Quandt had ever spoken at a management meeting. Analysts say the comment was intended to show how much support BMW management receives from the owning family.

VW Familial Split Contributes to Declining Profitability

The inability of Volkswagen to turn around declining market shares in the major U.S. market has led to an internal squabble over who should run the company. Ferdinand Piech, the former chairman of the company and grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, is at odds with his cousin, Wolfgang Porsche, over naming a new chief executive. Despite VW’s reputation as an innovative carmaker, it has been underperforming in recent years in the U.S. market. A quick trip to Chapman VW Tucson is a world away from VW headquarters, but the wide variety of performance and high fuel mileage vehicles available in the VW product line seems to suggest the issue is with marketing and not production.

Volkswagen not Just About the Beetle

If you haven’t been paying attention for the last few decades, Volkswagen is the second largest auto manufacturer in the world behind Toyota. Along with the VW product line, the company also owns Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT and Skoda. Founded in 1937 to produce the “People’s Car,” Volkswagen’s Beetle and Golf/Rabbit have been its two most successful cars by far. Some industry analysts think that devoting too much attention to the supercar lineup created by Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley and Porsche has take the company away from its initial marketing idea to make a simple, affordable car for the people. Others would point out that profit margins on the super cars are so high that those sales are basically keeping the company afloat. Even with all the management squabbles, VW continues to offer vehicles with superior German engineering and workmanship. Visit Chapman VW Tucson for a test drive today and experience the why Volkswagens are considered some of the finest vehicles available in the world.